Thursday, April 5, 2007

NEWBERRY SWEEPS TUSCULUM SOFTBALL

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Newberry College's Christina Kirby tossed a pair of complete game victories and the Lady Indians capitalized on six Tusculum College errors on the day as NC swept a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Red Edmonds Field. Newberry (31-20-1, 5-5 SAC) won by scores of 4-2 in the opener and 3-1 in eight innings in the night-cap. Tusculum falls to 24-17 overall, 3-7 in league play.

Game 1: Newberry 4, Tusculum 2

Courtney Lindler went 2-for-3 with three RBI, including her two-run single in the seventh inning as Newberry posted a 4-2 win in the first game.

Kirby scattered six hits, allowed two runs, one earned, walked one and struck out four in the win. Kirby also went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a double that eventually resulted in the go-ahead run in the fourth inning.

Tusculum's Brie Griffin finished went 2-for-3 in the contest to pace the Pioneers.

TC got on the board first in the first inning when Judith Saavedra led off with a double, stole second and scored on an error during the play. Newberry tied the game in the third when Ginna Dean reached second on a one-out error and scored on Lindler's single. Kirby led off the next frame with a double. Stephanie Blazer pinch-ran for Kirby and later scored on a wild pitch to move Newberry up 2-1

The Lady Indians added two insurance runs in the seventh inning when McKenzie Phillips led off with a walk, moved to second on Ashley Marine's single and later scored on Lindler's two-out single to move ahead 4-1.

Tusculum cut into the deficit when Holli Cadenhead led off with a bunt single and scored on a pinch-hit single by Lynnsey Jett. Kirby got the final two outs of the inning to end the threat.

Game 2: Newberry 3, Tusculum 1 (8 innings)

Dean scored the winning run in the eighth inning on a fielding error as Newberry won the second game 3-1. Kirby surrendered five hits, allowed a run, walked three and fanned five Pioneers to improve her record to 14-9.

Like the first game, Tusculum drew first blood in the opening inning as Saavedra drew a lead off walk, stole second and scored on Anna Johnson's triple. Chrissy Wilkison reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners, but Kirby limited the damage with a line-out and a pair of strikeouts to get out of the jam.

Kirby and TC starter Megan DuBois were solid in the circle through the first five innings.

Newberry tied the game in the sixth inning as Lindler led off with a single and Kirby helped her own cause with her 14^th double of the season to drive in the tying run. DuBois got out of the jam with Tusculum's third double play of the game. Kirby retired the six in order to send the contest into extra innings.

Using the international tie-breaker, Dean was placed at second. Amy Jarrell bunted to move Dean over the third but the throw was high sailing out of play to score the go-ahead run. Jarrell would add an insurance run later in the inning on Sara Powell's fly ball.

Kirby limited Tusculum to a single in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the win.

Wilkison finished the game going 2-for-4, including a stolen base for the Pioneers. DuBois falls to 9-6 despite pitching eight innings, allowed three runs, one earned, walked one and struck out two. NC's Haley Watson went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Lady Indians.

Tusculum will host "Senior Night" on Friday when they host Kentucky Wesleyan College for a 5 p.m. doubleheader. Newberry returns to action next Wednesday when they host arch-rival Presbyterian College.

- TC -